Heartland Firmway Fastest In Sires Stakes
The Manitoba Sires Stakes season continued on Saturday at Holland Fair with Heartland Firmway winning the fastest of four divisions for sophomore pacers by wide open lengths.
The Silk Lace divisions for three-year-old fillies were worth $4,115 while the Golden Boy sophomore colt split went for $4,106 a piece.
Winning Order earned his second sires stakes trophy with a front end victory in the first Golden Boy division. The popular Abbatom-Tranquil Ironstone colt fought off Brians Chanel to win in 2:05.2 for driver-breeder Roland Rey and trainer-owner Arthur Rey. Brians Chanel (Dean Rey) finished one length behind while Firm Deal (Dallas McGee) rounded out the top three.
Moving Gesture provided Roland Rey with back-to-back wins as she romped to a four and a half length victory in 2:06 in the first Silk Lace division for the fillies. The favoured daughter of Abbatom and Shes My Fantasy was followed by A Minutes Grace (Dallas McGee) and Sals Workin Lady (Kirk Rogers). The win was her first following a pair of runner-up finishes in the Lady Crocus and opening round of the Silk Lace.
Sent postward as the longest shot on the board at 19-1, Kaanapali Princess pulled off the upset in the second Silk Lace division for trainer, driver and owner Barry McNaughton. The Prince Brian-Kaanapali Beach miss minded her manners this time out and went from last to first to break her maiden in 2:03.2, winning by two and a half lengths. Co-favourites Brave Rustler (Philip Giesbrecht) and Notch Yer Princess (Dean Rey) finished second and third.
The final Golden Boy split went to second choice Heartland Firmway and Philip Giesbrecht. The Firm Friend-Medway Amluck colt, a two-time sires stakes winner at two, earned his first trophy of the season with an 11-1/2 length triumph in 2:00.4. Payday Pal (Darryl Mason) finished second and third went to Tomono (Roland Rey). Ashleigh Cullen trains Heartlad Firmway for owner W. Allan Drader.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Holland Fair.